The ability to grow spiritually allows us to find freedom, even within the walls of a cell. The greatest freedom is not outside us, but within us.
Guiding Principles, 5th Edition, Introductory Essay
Many drug addicts first hear our message of hope during their incarceration, often through the hard work of trusted N&I servants. One member shared: “When I came out, I heard someone talking about a 'self-made prison' and I got angry at first. They didn't know what it's like to be inside. But the more I came to the gatherings and listened to addicts share about the disease, I realized we had more in common than I thought. Just because I was out didn't mean I was free...yet."
Freedom comes in many forms. The ability to come and go freely as we please, a right denied us when or if we are imprisoned, is only one of these forms. We can experience mental, emotional and spiritual freedom wherever we go – or wherever we stay. One member wrote: “I thought freedom meant doing whatever I wanted whenever I wanted as long as I stayed clean. But I felt trapped by my impulses. It was impossible for me to say no to myself, even when my behavior had consequences. When I told my supporter that I wanted to quit but didn't know how, he told me to just go with the urge and see if I could learn something from it. I stayed with her and didn't act on her, and that's how I learned that I could survive that feeling. The feeling passed and I felt light. I felt free."
The most obvious kind of freedom we gain in recovery is physical—freed from compulsive drug use. This physical freedom, the change in behavior, has a corresponding inner aspect – the peace of mind that comes from no longer being trapped in obsession and self-centeredness. We have the freedom to think about something other than where we're going to get our next paycheck. We are free to feel anything other than despair. We are free.
Wherever I am, whatever is happening around me, I will seek inner freedom by letting thoughts and feelings come and go without disturbing my peace, without throwing me off balance.
